Walk amongst the mountainous amphitheatres of the Fanes-Sennes Nature Reserve.
Enjoy spellbinding views, wide open spaces and fresh alpine air.
Keep an eye out for alpine wildlife such as chamois and marmots.
Stay in warm, comfortable family-run alpine lodges.
Superb cuisine, including cheeses, mushrooms, speck and outstanding wines.
Hike through the Dolomites of the Fanes-Sennes Nature Reserve
On this week-long walking holiday, you will enjoy exhilarating hikes through the magnificent Fanes-Sennes Nature Reserve in the heart of the Dolomites.
The Fanes-Sennes nature park is one of the largest protected areas of South Tyrol. It is particularly known for its karst limestone features, such as funnel-shaped sink holes through which streams disappear underground. The high alpine plateaus of Prato Piazza, Fanes and Sennes provide ideal hiking territory at over 2,000 m altitude. Cows and sheep graze peacefully on the lush meadows against a backdrop of steep, imposing rock faces. Hiking here invokes a feeling of walking through a spectacular alpine amphitheatre, with endless panoramic views offering wonderful photo opportunities.
The varied daily walks take you through stunning landscapes of dramatic limestone mountains, snow-capped peaks and picture-perfect alpine pastures. This unique German-speaking part of Italy boasts an exceptional cuisine, a rich variety of wildlife and an extraordinary variety of flowers which bloom in their thousands in spring and summer.
Beginning in Platzwiese, you walk across the Fanes-Sennes Nature Reserve to San Vigilio di Marebbe, overnighting in beautifully located mountain huts where hearty meals provide you with energy for the breathtaking walks. The walks on well-marked trails are satisfyingly long but never exhausting.
| 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS | From €830 per person in dormitories*
From €899 per person sharing in private rooms* *A minimum of two people is required per booking for this tour. |
||||||||||||||||
| LUGGAGE TRANSPORTATION | Luggage transportation is available between accommodations for a supplement of €200. 1 non-rigid bag of 15kg max per person. | ||||||||||||||||
| ACCOMMODATION | For the first six nights, you will stay in typical alpine mountain huts (rifugios). All are located at around 2,000 metres altitude and are surrounded by the beautiful peaks of the Dolomites. All offer private rooms and dorms, but private rooms fill up very quickly. If staying in a dormitory, you will need to bring a travel sheet and towel. A few rooms have en-suite bathrooms, otherwise shared bathrooms are found in the hallways.
For the last night, you will stay in a nice bed and breakfast in the lively village of San Vigilio di Marebbe. The standard accommodations that we use are listed below. During high season it is possible that we may need to book alternative accommodations on some nights. In that case, the start or end of your walking routes may differ slightly from the standard itinerary.
|
||||||||||||||||
| MEALS | A buffet breakfast is included each morning. You will also receive a picnic lunch to take with you on your walks. Dinner is included at the Platzwiese Hut and Fanes Hut. Dinner is not included in Sennes or in San Vigilio di Marebbe, but you will find several nice local restaurants nearby. | ||||||||||||||||
| AVAILABILITY | You can start on any day of the week, subject to availability, from June 5th to October 5th. | ||||||||||||||||
| INCLUDED |
|
||||||||||||||||
| NOT INCLUDED |
|
||||||||||||||||
| OPTIONAL EXTRAS |
|
||||||||||||||||
| DIFFICULTY / TERRAIN | The difficulty level of this tour is rated as moderate to challenging overall. You follow a mixture of gravel tracks and well-marked hiking trails. The daily walking routes sometimes involve steep ascents but can be walked without problems by a reasonably fit adult. On some occasions there are optional opportunities for climbing local peaks; these are obviously more difficult trails, suitable only for experienced mountain hikers. | ||||||||||||||||
Day 1: Arrival in Plätzwiese
Arrive with public transport or private transfer to Plätzwiese / Prato Piazza, check-in at the accommodation and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the Dolomites.
Overnight: Rifugio Prato Piazza
Day 2: Loop walk from Plätzwiese via the Strudelkopf or via Stollaplatz
Walk A – Distance: 8 km | Ascent: 350 m | Descent: 350 m | 2½ hrs approx.
And/or:
Walk B – Distance: 6 km | Ascent: 250 m | Descent: 250 m | 2 hrs approx.
Today you can choose between a couple of different hiking itineraries. You can climb to the top of the Strudelkopf (2307 m) to enjoy excellent views of the Drei Zinnen (Tre Cime di Lavaredo) or go for a hike through the rolling Stollaplatz and Stolla-Alm. Or you could do both walks, as they are both relatively short.
Overnight: Rifugio Prato Piazza
Day 3: From Plätzwiese to Sennes
Distance: 19.5 km | Ascent: 990 m | Descent: 830 m | 6 hrs approx.
Today’s hike begins with a descent via the spectacular Val dei Canope to Cimabanche. After a short stretch along the road, you climb through Val de Gotres towards Forcella Lerosa, a high plateau with lush green meadow surrounded by towering mountain peaks. After a steep descent through a forest, you begin the final climb through the lovely Val Salata to Rifugio Sennes.
Overnight: Rifugio Sennes
Day 4: Sennes Plateau loop walk via Munt de Sennes
Distance: 7 km | Ascent: 345 | Descent: 330 | 2½ hrs approx.
The walk today takes you through high plateaus and valleys above the tree line, surrounded by panoramic mountain vistas. This short hike can be extended with a climb to the Muntejela de Senes peak (2887 m). The view from the peak is stunning.
Overnight: Rifugio Sennes
Day 5: From Rifugio Sennes to Rifugio Fanes via Lago de Foses
Distance: 20 km | Ascent: 1,000 m | Descent: 900 m | 7 hrs approx.
You first follow part of the broad Dolomite Höhenweg trail, at roughly constant elevation. You continue on rocky trails, descending through the forest before climbing back above the tree line on a zig-zag path. You then descend via an unpaved road to the Pederü hut. Many visitors enter the Fanes-Sennes Park here. A short, steep section takes you quickly high above Rifugio Pederü (remember to look behind you for wonderful views over the valley). Finally, you follow a mixture of gravel roads and mountain trails to the Fanes hut. Here, you are greeted by an idyllic scene of babbling streams, lazing cows and scurrying marmots.
Overnight: Rifugio Fanes
Day 6: Loop walk via Ju della Crusc or Bivacco della Pace
Today you can choose between two alternative all-day hikes.
OPTION A: L’Ciaval loop via de Ju de la Crusc
Distance: 17 km | Ascent: 1,070 m | Descent: 1,080 m | 6½ hrs approx.
This all-day route takes you up a steep, wooded hillside to the bare, rocky expanse of the Fanes plateau. As you reach the ridge of Ju della Crusc you enjoy dramatic vistas over the valley below. You can opt to extend the hike with a climb up to the peak of Le Ciaval (2,907 m).
OPTION B: Fanes loop via Bivacco della Pace
Distance: 17 km | Ascent: 1,235 m | Descent: 1,235 m | 6 hrs approx.
As alternative, you can choose the walk via Bivacco della Pace. This hike begins as a comfortable walk along an unpaved road winding through pleasant alpine scenery, and then climbs steeply above the tree line to the dramatic Monte Castello outcrop. The track was originally a First World War military road bringing supplies to the front, which was at Monte Castello.
Overnight: Rifugio Fanes
Day 7: Walk from Rifugio Fanes to San Vigilio di Marebbe
Distance: 21 km | Ascent: 650 m | Descent: 1,450 m | 7 hrs approx.
Descend from the Fanes Plateau to the lovely Val di Marebbe (Marebbe Valley). You first climb steeply to Anthoius Joch, followed by a tricky descent over a debris-covered slope. You then continue along a wide path through the pretty mountain village of Wengen/La Valle to the viewpoint at Crusc de Rit, where you will enjoy a stunning panoramic view over the surrounding peaks and valleys. You then descend through forests and meadows to San Vigilio di Marebbe.
Overnight: San Vigilio di Marebbe
Day 8: Departure from San Vigilio di Marebbe
Your walking holiday comes to an end after breakfast this morning, unless you have booked any additional services.
Getting to Prato Piazza (Platzwiese)
Departure from San Vigilio di Marebbe
Tour Reviews
There are no reviews yet.
Leave a Review